If this is Mitt Romney’s idea of a victory rally, one shudders to think what would have happened if he had lost the Iowa caucuses. The day after his impossibly thin eight-vote victory, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination flew to manchester, N.H., for a town hall meeting at Manchester Central High School, where he was to bask in the endorsement of his 2008 rival, John McCain. But the senator grimaced when he was introduced, and as Romney delivered his own stump speech, McCain looked increasingly impatient. McCain gave his endorsement address without mentioning Romney’s Iowa win until the end. “By the way, we forgot to congratulate him on his landslide victory last night,” he said, laughing. Romney ignored him.
Then came the questions: First, one from an Occupy Wall Street infiltrator needling the candidate about his belief that “corporations are people.” A second questioner wanted to know why Romney flip-flopped on universal health care when he was governor of Massachusetts. Later, a Chinese-American woman accused Romney of saying “degrading” things about China, and she complained that “after 20 years of Reagan economics, trickle-down theory, it didn’t help me. My tin can is still empty.” Romney sat through most of the ambush with a tight grin and raised eyebrows. At length, he attempted to challenge the woman to name a place where income is higher than it is in the United States.
The Occupy Wall Street guy began heckling. “The U.S. has the highest income inequality in the entire developed world!” Romney tried to regain control. “Excuse me,” he said. “You’ve had your chance.” McCain walked toward the Occupy guy. “Be quiet,” he said, menacingly. The woman, no longer in possession of a working microphone, began hollering. “For those who didn’t hear,” Romney offered, “she says she loves this country and don’t put any Asians down. I hope I haven’t put any Asians down.” The woman’s muffled shouting continued. Romney tried to answer. A baby started to cry. When the end mercifully came, the candidate gave a final rallying call to “get the White House back.” All but a few rose and put on their coats without applauding.
Controlled, disciplined
This undoubtedly was not the victory lap the campaign had in mind. Everything about Romney is controlled, precise and disciplined. His staff applauded dutifully when he got on his plane, and he went up and down the row congratulating each staff member with a “nice work” and a “thank you.” The grin he wore when he boarded remained throughout the flight — even when he entered and exited the lavatory. When he went to the back of the plane to visit the press corps, he made a labored attempt to demonstrate that he was at ease.